Learn from the best players in the world
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By Brady Riggs, PGA, With Mike Chwasky, Photography by Warren Keating
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 All of us who love the game of golf have, at least once in our lives,
dreamed of playing at the highest level against the pros. Of course,
it’s a dream that very few get to actually live out, but it’s also a
dream that drives us all to try and improve. In reality, golf is one of
the few sports that actually allows amateur participants to use the
same tools and play on the same tracks as the world’s best, and as a
result, we all probably feel more kinship with the elite than
enthusiasts in other disciplines. Even neophyte players have brushes
with greatness when they strike one solid iron shot or hole a long
putt, an experience that tends to get them hooked on the game for good.
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By Craig Sasada with Ryan M. Noll, Photo by Warren Keating
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 Okay, so you’ve missed the green by a few feet and are left with a
fluffy, unpredictable lie. Situations like this aren’t uncommon here at
Poipu Bay in Kauai (and probably your home course too), but with a
quick pointer on greenside chipping, I think I can help you get up and
down more often than not from this tricky position. How? With the most
versatile and forgiving club in your bag.
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By T.J. Tomasi, PH.D.; PGA Photography by L.C. Lambrecht
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 Part of being a skillful player is “reading” the situation, choosing
the right shot and then being able to execute that particular play.
Taking into account all your options is important, but most golfers
never consider the versatility the game allows. For example, when faced
with a bunker shot, most golfers think “blast.” But in some situations,
thinking “chip” may produce the better result. |
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By T.J. Tomasi, PH.D.; PGA Photography by Larry Lambrecht
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 Bad lies are one thing, but there’s nothing worse than a situation
where your backswing is completely restricted. The feeling of
helplessness can be pretty disheartening. For most golfers, the only
play is to chip back into the fairway—a momentum-breaker that’s not
going to help you if your goal is to shoot low numbers. But take a
closer look—you may be able to knock it near or even on the green if
you know this savvy technique. |
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By Jeff Ritter, PGA; Photography by D2 Productions
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 A key element to becoming a better player is learning to create
different ballflight trajectories on command. It’s this aspect of your
play that will allow you to effectively tackle a variety of situations
ranging from lob pitches to knockdowns to recovery shots. Here are six
“factors of flight” to help you learn to throw it high or keep it low. |
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By T.J. Tomasi, Ph.D., PGA; Photography by D2 Productions
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 If you want to take your scores even lower, you’ve got to be able to
control the spin on your golf ball, and that means being able to curve
it when you want to. This skill is called “working” the ball, and it
takes practice. But most low-handicappers don’t rehearse this part of
their game correctly—they’ll hit 20 draws in a row, then hit a bunch of
fades. This practice sequence doesn’t realistically represent what
you’ll face on the course. In golf, you only get one chance, not 20.
That’s why I recommend the Diamond Drill. The Diamond teaches you how
to work the ball “on demand” using the geometry of the setup. |
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By Kirk Nelson, PGA
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 Growing up in Oklahoma, my golfing buddies and I had more than our fair
share of wind to deal with on the course. As a PGA professional on the
island of Maui, I still rely on different techniques to cheat the
breeze and set up more scoring opportunities.
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Control your trajectory for better scoring
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By Mike Chwasky, with Instruction by Guy Redford, Photography by Douglas MacGregor
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 Any golfer worth his salt dreams of trying his hand on a true links
golf course. Turnberry, Kingsbarns, Royal Dornoch, even Carnoustie—they
all present challenges that inland courses, protected from the
elements, simply can’t muster. The soft fairways that prevent errant
drives from running into the rough don’t exist. Spongy, well-watered
greens that receive approaches of all kinds just aren’t there. It’s a
whole different style of play that favors putting over pitching and
low, authoritative punch shots over high, spinning floaters. Above all,
links golf demands imagination. |
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By Jerry Elwell, PGA; Illustration by Phil Franke
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 When playing golf, there are some days that no matter what you try, you
can’t get your upper and lower body to work in sync. On these days,
you’ll find that the hips trail too far behind the shoulders, and the
shoulders trail too far behind the arms and hands. The Dead Shot is an
effective drill I use with my students to promote balance, timing and
synchronization from the takeaway through the finish. |
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By Craig Bunker, PGA, with Ryan M. Noll, Photography by D2 Productions
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 Sometimes the best way to get out of a bunker is to not hit the ball at all. Try putting it instead. Like all shots from the bunker, you must first assess the situation and determine if the putter is the right choice.
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By John O’Leary III, PGA; Photography by D2 Productions
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 You’ll discover the need to hit over an obstacle—tree, fence, even a
scoreboard—during the course of an everyday round. And while amateurs
fear the shot, pros know that only a few setup adjustments can fuel
success. |
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